National carrier Vietnam Airlines have raised salaries for the firm’s pilots from June 1 with rises depending on different kinds of airplanes.

National carrier Vietnam Airlines have raised salaries for the firm’s pilots from June 1 with rises depending on different kinds of airplanes

According to its report submitted to the Ministry of Transport, for B787 and A350 aeroplanes, domestic captains will be paid a salary of VND205-246 million (USD9,318-11,181) per month, while the salary for Vietnamese first officers will be VND124 -150 million per month.

For A321, Vietnamese captains will receive the monthly salary of VND176 -236 million, while VND100-135 million will be for first officers.

For ATR, the salary for Vietnamese captains will be VND156-186 million and first officers will get VND75-91 million.

The report also said that the salary for designated pilot examiners will be VND210-297 million, while type rating instructors will be paid VND198-284 million.

The airline has also planned to increase pilot salary by VN1-6 million per month, depending on different kinds of aeroplanes.

Vietnam Airlines added that with these salary levels, post-tax pilot incomes will account for 70% of that of foreign pilots working for the firm.

At present, foreign captains of a B787 will be offered VND265-268 million per month, while co-pilots will get VND181-199 million. For A350, captain salary will be VND238-266 million and VND163-187 million will be for co-pilots.

Duong Tri Thanh, General Director of Vietnam Airlines, said that the carrier now has 1,138 pilots, comprising of 853 Vietnamese pilots and 285 foreign pilots.

Thanh said that over the past three years, the global aviation sector has seen strong development, particularly in Asia, has resulted in the high demand for pilots. So, many pilots look for good opportunities.

Between 2015 and 2017, up to 223 pilots stopped working for Vietnam Airlines, with 33 alone in the first five months of this year.

The carrier has recruited 64 flight officers since early this year.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Vietnamese airlines operate 175 aeroplanes. The figure is expected to rise to 220 by 2020 and 400 by 2030.

By 2030, the country’s aviation sector would need around 200 additional pilots each year.

Flight training centres can only train 100-120 pilots annually, so airlines have to recruit pilots from abroad, which is common practice in the industry.